Undeniable
by Wordgawk
Summary: Busy writing a new novel, Eiri Yuki gets time away from Shuichi, though it is not by choice. An equally busy Hiro Nakano is delighted when Ayaka drops by for a visit, but she surprises him with something on her mind.
1. Excited and Touchy meet

**Author's note: This is my first Gravitation story. I am most familiar with the animated show and my story is based on it. It has been many months since I wrote in the fanfic world, so this fanfic has crossed a bunch of hurdles. I had a ton of fun writing for such diverse personalities. If I can bring any enjoyment in your life with my story, please leave feedback! It is most appreciated!**

**Disclaimer: Gravitation's characters aren't mine. They belong to Maki Murakami. **

* * *

**Undeniable**

An interview, a couple meetings, and vocal practice made up Shuichi Shindou's day at N-G Productions. It had been tiring as soon as the day started and he was glad when the time to go home got announced. He wasn't the only one; lead guitarist Hiroshi Nakano let out a whoop as soon as their boss let them go. Shuichi grinned at his best friend's sudden enthusiasm. Hiro didn't usually act so happy. "What's up, Hiro? You look like you're going to burst."

"From joy, you mean!" Hiro returned the smile. "Ayaka is visiting tomorrow. We've been so busy recording for our new album, I've barely had the chance to see her."

That comment Shuichi couldn't argue with. Bad Luck had been preparing for a new album and the crew's schedule put a strain on social lives. Days off work seemed to be a rarity lately. He loved singing, but he did want a break. "I know how it's like to miss a loved one," Shuichi agreed while looking around the meeting room for his belongings. He really had to stop flinging things everywhere when he got excited.

Hiro laughed as he took a sip from his water bottle and pushed sweaty chestnut bangs off his forehead. "Miss? What's to miss? Yuki-san is letting you live in his apartment and you get to see him everyday. How can you complain?"

A little blush crossed the singer's face at the mention of his lover's name. He really couldn't argue over that point either because Hiro was right. He did get to see the face of the man he won over just two months earlier day after day. The thought of being able to see Yuki's face now caused a goofy grin to split Shuichi's face. "Yeah, but you gotta admit love is great, no matter how far apart you are."

"True, true! The thought of being with Ayaka tomorrow gives me a rush." Hiro's eyes began to sport a similar kooky glaze like Shuichi.

"Are you two going to be like this forever?" interjected a question by Suguru Fujisaki. Bad Luck's final band mate, he was a fantastic keyboardist, but his logic and self-restraint boggled Shuichi's mind. Ramen noodles without a ton of condiments, fizzy soda without a mix of another type... the simplicity drove Shuichi crazy, but since crazy was in his blood, he could understand his preference towards the complex.

Hiro also had self-restraint, but bouts of fun did flare up and he could turn into an energized lunatic like Shuichi. The mention of girlfriend Ayaka resulted in the same bubbly reaction. "Hey Fujisaki, if you learn to let loose, you can have a ton of fun like we do."

Fujisaki's mane of short raven hair shook in disagreement. "You two have enough wild fun for me and yourselves combined. I'd rather stay sane. See you guys later." He waved goodbye on his way out of the room.

The remainder of a donut was stuffed into Hiro's mouth and he spoke around it, "It's great to have someone as level-headed as Fujisaki in the group, don't ya think Shuichi? To balance out our wacky adventures and everything?"

"It sure is." Shuichi tossed in a shirt and some notes into his backpack. "How long is Ayaka staying for?"

"Three days."

Even as the skeptical eyebrow raised from his psychotic friend, Hiro drew back, his tone sharp. "Hey, I'm going to be a perfect gentleman. Don't you even think about it!"

An enormous grin crossed Shuichi's face . "Think about what?"

Hiro just nodded. "Good boy. You can be a pervert on your own."

Jumping up and down, Shuichi could also nod simultaneously. "You're right. I have to see Yuki now. Bye!" He shot out of the room and probably was out of the NG building before Hiro could comprehend that his buddy had left. Shuichi didn't like to leave him hanging, but he'd understand. Best friends always did.

After a half-and-half running and walking race back home, the 19 year old skidded to a stop at Yuki's apartment door. He managed to unlock it and tumble on through before the excited greeting left his mouth, "La li hoooooo! I'm home Yuuuki!"

No response. The red sneakers on his feet seemed to kick themselves off when he ran to the study room Yuki holed himself in whenever he typed up a new novel. He flung open the door, only to be met by the glow of the familiar laptop and an unattended rolling chair. Disappointment didn't have any chance to set in when Shuichi darted to the kitchen. Nobody there. A tiny frown began settling on Shuichi's forehead and he slowed his bullet-train pace. The bathroom revealed no presence either and a double check of the entertainment room didn't fare better results. That left only one place.

Feet tapping softly on the hardwood floor, he cracked open Yuki's bedroom door -_their _bedroom, the novelist grudgingly conceded a week ago- and finally got his reward, if not better. Sprawled out on the mattress was none other than Eiri Yuki, who lay in a tangled, if not peaceful slumber. In still moments like this, Yuki wasn't his testy alias Eiri Yuki, but his true self, Eiri Uesugi. There weren't any deceptions or barriers, but a raw unguarded self that gave Shuichi shivers whenever he saw it. Shuichi felt happy to know he was one of those rare people who didn't have to see the sleepyhead as just the popular love story writer. Yuki's penname had grew on Shuichi, so he kept calling him by it. The blond never seemed to mind.

Lying on his stomach as usual, Yuki looked like he had tripped into sleep. The plum covers weren't pulled up over himself, but they sure liked his legs because it was the one part of him they made contact with. He had on his "working clothes", as Shuichi dubbed them: an oversized long-sleeved shirt of some dark color -charcoal gray in this instance- which de-classed the stylish khakis he wore. Why on earth he wore such nice pants when he wasn't going to be seen by anyone public remained a mystery.

Shuichi entered the bedroom and wondered if he was in the dangerous mood: should he let out a jungle yell and startle awake Yuki? It didn't happen often and now was a great opportunity. His eardrums would ring as a consequence, but it sure would be worth it to see the man shocked. Shuichi's mouth opened, but then recalling Yuki's reminder about an approaching deadline for his latest novel, he slowly sighed instead. No point in shattering the quiet. Besides, the older man had been a tad more moody lately, and the deadline was probably the reason.

Gingerly, Shuichi sat on the bed, just looking at his lover. Cheek, tuft of bangs, parted mouth, a pale ear poking out from his tangled straw hair...these things Yuki couldn't admire with the same mindset as his enthusiastic partner did. If he did, he would be incredibly vain and Shuichi refused to believe he was that kind of person.

Asleep, asleep the writer was, but he ought to be awake just for him... Leaning over, a small nip on the ear did it. Olive eyes blinked open and a low groan was the reaction. For a suspended moment, there was nothing but a hazy stare. The sleepy look vanished and Yuki slapped a hand against his warm ear, apparently solving how he woke up. His face turned a tinge of pink and he greeted with utter kindness, "What the hell are you doing, disturbing my sleep?"

Shuichi's eyes rolled. He had gotten used to these kinds of snarky greetings, but that didn't mean they never got annoying. "Hi to you too. And don't tell me you didn't like that." He slyly nudged him. Yuki made no comment, only sat up. Shuichi kept going. "So don't I get a better hello than that? I've had a hard day too. That interview today was plain bad! The lady who asked the questions sat next to me and wouldn't stop pawing at me and Hiro sat there on her other side and didn't help me in the slightest because he didn't want her going after him and I could tell he thought of Ayaka then because he got this look-"

The hard press of lips against his own halted his tirade. Then Yuki was right in his face. "You did tell her you were taken, right?"

Shuichi tried to sound neutral. "I wouldn't be here otherwise."

"What did you say to her?"

"Well, I didn't tell her exactly."

"Because?"

A playful giggle. "News about us travels around fast and I figured she already knew. It's no secret."

"That didn't stop her from going after you, did it?"

"Are you jealous? Is Eiri Yuki jealous of lil' me?"

"Hnh." Yuki's face came into view as he pulled back. Upon doing so, Shuichi noticed the beginning of dark circles under his eyes. He felt concerned. "Have you been staying up? You look tired. I mean, you're such a night person and seeing you in bed so soon in the evening surprised me."

Yuki leaned back. "I'm fine."

"Maybe you should go back to your nap."

"I'm awake now. There's no point."

"I didn't mean to wake you."

"I said I'm fine."

A sigh escaped the pink-haired teen. This was nearly identical to the conversation they had yesterday and the day before when he probed about Yuki's health. As excepted, the stoic guy brushed it off easily like a fly on a picnic table. Unfortunately, Shuichi was the fly, and this fly was getting rather mad at being swatted at. But he kept his temper in check when he tried one more time. "How about something to eat? I'm getting better at making coffee if you want to stay awake."

It took a little while, but Yuki untangled the mess of blanket around his feet and abruptly rose from the bed. "What part of 'I'm fine' do you not understand? I don't need a nap right now and I'm not hungry. All I want at this very moment is a smoke." To prove his point, he walked out of the room without waiting for a response.

Shuichi's teeth gnashed as he followed the writer to the kitchen where a cigarette box and lighter were sitting on the counter. Yuki deftly opened the carton and in went a stick between his lips. Shuichi demanded, "This is what you want? What about me?"

The metal lighter flicked on. The tip of the mentholated stick glowed orange and Yuki savored a drag. The smoke wisped out of his mouth like a kiss. "What about you?"

"Why do you choose a dumb cigarette over me? I'm a human being, you know!"

Yuki's bored gaze didn't break. "This seduces me more than you."

Was Yuki trying to infuriate him? "I come home and I want to know how your day's been and I get this? I even have the day off tomorrow! I know you're busy with your next novel and all, but this attitude of yours isn't helping."

The sardonic laugh that came next was creepy. Yuki's slim fingers balanced the cigarette and he replied dangerously, "My attitude? Let me tell you why my attitude is the way it is now. You come home during the past few days and you scream in my ears like a banshee while I'm working. You know I work best in the evening and yet you still bother me to no end. You also know about my deadline. Do you expect me to concentrate on my work with all this noise?"

Shuichi winced slightly. Ok, sure he turned a little rowdy when he got home, but his excitement over seeing Yuki was the reason. Depending on both their schedules, they would set aside time to eat dinner together or go outside and get lost in the din of Tokyo's bustling city life. It wasn't much to ask from Yuki, but Shuichi counted the seconds until they spent quality time together. He would often haul the recluse out of his dark room whenever he had writer's block and Yuki would do the same when he caught Shuichi banging his head on the table when lyrics for a song didn't show up on paper. The person being persuaded was always reluctant to go, but five minutes outside turned their view right around.

Dinner, a ten minute walk, a half hour make-out session; whatever the activity, Shuichi threw himself in it 150 percent. Disasters did happen on occasion, but Yuki never meant any harm when he yelled at him for being an idiot. The singer didn't think his enthusiasm was such a nuisance...well, except for their bedroom stints. Yuki never complained then.

Biting his lower lip, Shuichi wracked his brain for a good answer, but all that occupied his thoughts was how much of an idiot his lover was acting. "I...I get really happy when I see you! Why is that wrong?"

Yuki scoffed. "Acting like a six year old when I'm concentrating on writing is what's wrong. Do you have an ounce of common sense in that brain of yours?"

Once those words processed themselves through Shuichi's mind, he found that he didn't get it. More precisely, he wouldn't try to figure it out. Instead, his eyes teared up the way they always did when he couldn't think of a better reply. He turned and went to the entrance where his shoes lay and jammed his feet into them. He had picked up his backpack when Yuki wandered over, his stupid smoke still in hand. With a smirk, the older man said, "You start to make some sense and now you're going to leave? Such bad timing, Shuichi."

The door banged shut.

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A/N: An angry Shuichi is never a good thing! The next chapter awaits..


	2. Pessimism and optimism cooperate

Chapter 2

_Ok, ok, stay calm. She'll be here soon. _In his cramped apartment, Hiro zipped around to various spots and cleaned up. It was a last minute attempt to fix the miniature explosions of untidiness courtesy of Shuichi. He came over three days before to hang out like usual, but he was drunk on Yuki that evening and he stomped around while he declared reason after reason why Yuki was the best boyfriend ever. Unfortunately, Bad Luck's busy schedule as of late didn't leave Hiro much time to clean up as much as he wanted.

Hiro tried not to count the minutes until Ayaka showed up on his doorstep. Promptness was one of her great qualities. She was a great girlfriend and their relationship was finally beginning to settle down after the whole incident involving her engagement with Yuki. Once in a while she would get a little disheartened whenever the topic of her beloved Eiri came up, but she understood that Hiro was her beloved now and she cheered up. Her warm emotions towards Shuichi's boyfriend did grate on Hiro's emotions sometimes, but when Ayaka smiled just for him, he always felt better. Still, something about her and Yuki hung in the back of his mind and wouldn't be forgotten. He didn't know exactly what that thing was, but today was his day off and moody thoughts weren't going to spoil his attitude right in the morning!

He had just finished checking his jeans and t-shirt ensemble in the bathroom mirror when the doorbell rang. He eyed the main room once more before opening the front door. Bright morning sunlight made him squint, but seeing his girlfriend wasn't a problem. Ayaka Usami smiled and her dark blue eyes looked him over. Her auburn hair, long and often worn down, was tied back today. A long sea green skirt fit perfectly with the spring weather. Not to mention her.

"Ayaka, hi! It's so great to see you!" Hiro paved over indecent thoughts with an outward hug.

"It's good to see you too, Nakano- I mean, Hiro," she corrected. She was still getting used to calling him by the familiar name, but he didn't mind. It meant she truly started to care for him.

"Do you want to come in?" Hiro asked, waving a hand at the marvelously tidy apartment.

"Actually, I wanted to go to the new sundae shop you told me about. The sweets sound really delicious."

Hiro deflated just a tad when she didn't notice the result of his hard efforts. "Oh, sure." He grabbed his keys and locked the door.

"I will be coming back later, so I can see your place then," Ayaka explained when they began to walk. She paused and added, "I don't think I've ever seen your place so organized. I'm impressed."

Hiro grinned in triumph. "Well, I try."

They chatted small talk along the way, re-acquainting themselves with each other's daily lives. Ayaka had taken up art lessons and she enjoyed the creativity that went with the skill. She glossed over the topic about her parents. They were disappointed to hear about the cancellation of her marriage and when they turned contemplative, they would broach the subject about how she had let go of such a treasure. Ayaka didn't feel horrible about it, she told Hiro, but she did find herself wondering. Hiro tried to cheer her up by telling stories about rehearsals and how Shuichi constantly kept him on his toes with his crazy antics. Sundaes were ordered and the couple continued their walk to the park where they first met each other. Hiro sighed happily.

Ayaka stirred her caramel-swirled sundae with a plastic spoon before taking a careful bite. "Shindou-san sounds like he's doing well "

"He sure acts that way. He bounces all over the place whenever the topic of Yuki-san comes up."

"Does Eiri seem happier as well?"

Hiro spooned some strawberry goo into his mouth, unsure of how to answer. "I haven't seen him much, but whenever I do he's with Shuichi. He doesn't seem to mind when the spaz latches onto him when they're in public. I'm thinking that's progress on Yuki-san's part."

"So it does." Ayaka smiled.

They walked along in silence, taking in the colorful sights of greenery and playground toys. Hiro veered towards a set of swings and motioned for her to join him. They were tall for the swings, but at least they had comfortable seats. He glanced over and saw Ayaka was in deep thought and her vision gazed down at her dessert. Yuki brooding, perhaps? A couple weeks had passed and neither she or Yuki had spoken to each other. Ayaka had admitted to Hiro at the very start of their relationship that she had given up on the guy. Still, the guitarist knew from his previous girlfriends that sometimes feelings didn't wash down the drain as quickly or clean as he'd wanted. Sometimes, the food bits of lingering emotions stayed behind.

He leaned forward a little. "What 'cha thinking about?" he asked, hoping the E-word wasn't her reply.

Unfortunately, it was. "I'm just wondering about him, that's all."

He didn't understand what the problem was. "I told you he was doing pretty good."

"That's not what I mean." At length, the brunette spoke. "I...wonder if I mean anything to him."

Now it was Hiro's turn to gaze into the mess of his ice cream filled cup. Yuki took up a lot of space in her mind, it seemed.

Ayaka's small hand touched his wrist. "Oh, Hiro, I'm not saying you're not significant to me. I only want to know if I should keep Eiri in my life or not. I do know him a bit. That's a lot more than most people can say. I did speak with him a few times when the engagement had been first arranged. "

"Sounds like you made friends." Did he sound sarcastic?

Ayaka giggled wistfully. "Of course not right away. He was polite, but he had an edge to him. I didn't know if I wanted the challenge of getting past it, to find out what lay beyond. He would have been my future husband after all, so I felt obligated to try being on good terms."

"What happened?"

Sadness made her eyes lower. "We parted ways before I made a real decision. I think I wanted to know him better, but now that he's involved with Shindou-san, I should forget about it. Maybe I'm being silly over nothing."

Despite the simmering goulash of emotions Hiro felt, he found himself saying, "You should talk to him about this. I could ask Shu to invite Yuki-san over to Kyoto. Or you can visit him while you're here in Tokyo." He paused. If she visited Yuki, their time together would be cut short.

She hesitated. "I can't see him. I- I wouldn't know what to say."

"It won't be so bad. It's not like you two have never met. Now that Shu's with him, there won't be any problems finding him like last time." Why was he being so nice about this guy, anyway? Hiro glanced at her face, saw the debate in her eyes. He was being too selfish. She wanted peace of mind. It was worth more than a couple hours apart from each other.

"You're right, it is easier to find him now. I still want to think it over first." Ayaka stopped rocking on the swing and looked down at the dusty cloud that had kicked up below her sandals.

The metal chains on the swing creaked as Hiro pushed lightly on his seat. Nothing was said and he finished his dessert in the quiet. He looked at Ayaka's sad expression. He remembered the struggle she went through when she met with Yuki in Tokyo last time. She had wanted to keep Yuki so badly, Hiro recalled when she interrupted one of Bad Luck's rehearsals and slapped Shuichi who stood right at the mic. Hiro knew she had been headstrong, but seeing the slap still shocked him.

The swing grew silent then when he realized something that evaporated his temporary jealousy. "Ayaka?"

"Yes?"

"You don't like to give up. Is it all right for you to do that?"

Ayaka didn't say anything.

---------------------------

Eiri leaned back in his rolling chair and slid off his reading glasses. His arm rested it beside his laptop. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to distract himself by sinking into the blackness behind his eyelids. He must have wrote for too long. His head hurt a little. He felt tired, but not as much as did feel unsettled. Shuichi hadn't returned home the night before. The boy was genuinely angry; he never stayed out all night without any word home. Did he seriously take Eiri's words to heart?

It hadn't been the first time Shuichi had been called names, so it was a bit shocking when morning came and the apartment remained empty. Expecting a phone call during the night, Eiri had stayed up. There wasn't anything else to do while midnight crept toward dawn except type out his story. The deadline for his draft was inching closer and he knew if he kept worrying over the brat, his story wouldn't make it. Besides, the blond knew Shuichi's friends and if he would stay with anyone, it would be Hiroshi. Or possibly with the juvenile man-stuck-in-a-child's-body singer that Shuichi idolized, Ryuichi Sakuma. Both of them had grown to be good friends over the past months, if not oddly eccentric ones. Eiri suddenly remembered that Shuichi worked today, so there wouldn't be any call now that it was already morning. They would see each other later in the evening.

Feeling better after figuring all that out, Eiri left the study and stretched his arms as he headed to the kitchen. Leftover noodles from last night's take-out satisfied his hunger. He popped the tab of a cold beer and sipped, idly wondering if he should take a walk or something. No, he wanted to finish another chapter before he went anywhere. The deadline was a pain, but once he finished the draft, relaxation would be his reward for a couple days. He hoped he did make it.

Many, many pages later, -not quite a full chapter finished- evening came. Eiri didn't realize this until he stepped out of the room and passed through the living room. Nighttime life shifted beyond the balcony's glass doors. Dots of city lights shone against the dark sky and he finally looked up at a clock. Shuichi should be arriving home around this time. A tick of excitement teased Eiri's stomach and he allowed himself a ghost of a smile in anticipation.

The phone trilled. Eiri's body lurched towards the study before he knew what he was doing, much to his amazement. The answering machine normally took his calls, but this time felt like an exception. He grabbed the receiver on the second ring. "Hello?"

"Yuki-san?" greeted a calm male voice. It definitely didn't belong to Shuichi.

"Yes?" He hid his disappointment.

Some rustling sounded and seconds passed before it stopped . "Sorry," the person apologized, "is Shuichi there?"

This made Eiri blink. "Who is this?"

"Oh, this is Hiro."

How did he find out the novelist's number? As though Hiroshi had read his mind, he added, "Shuichi gave me your number. Anyway, I wanted to check up on him to see how he was doing."

Eiri didn't find the idea comforting that Shuichi's friend had his phone number. "What do you mean?"

Puzzlement rose in Hiroshi's answer. "Well, he didn't come to work today and I thought he might have gotten sick."

Not go to work? What the hell? "He...never mentioned anything about feeling ill."

"So he's ok? That's good. Can I talk to him?"

"Why didn't you call his cell phone?" questioned Eiri, who got more annoyed as the seconds ticked by.

"Nobody is answering. I thought he must have shut it off when he got back to your place."

This did not look good. The musician was gone and nobody knew his whereabouts. Especially him. Eiri cleared his throat and decided to do a little fishing. "Was Shuichi with you yesterday? In the evening."

"No, I was with- I was busy with other plans."

So much for his hypothesis of overnight buddies the lunatic would stay with. He tried to reel in any additional information. "Did he tell you where he was last night? He didn't tell me."

"Wasn't he planning on being with you? He acted really excited before he left, saying things about seeing you." A hint of suspicion touched Hiroshi's tone.

He grunted an affirmation. Shuichi had wanted to do just that, until Eiri's mouth ran rampant and his lover stomped out the door. "He changed his mind and wanted to go out," he smoothly replied. "I slept in early and by the time I woke, he was gone." As soon as the sentence left his mouth, he silently cursed. Admitting Shuichi's absence and asking his own questions meant Hiroshi would discover that his friend hadn't been at home last night or today.

As anticipated, concern began tiptoeing in. "Are you saying Shu hasn't been home since he left the NG building?"

Eiri sighed. The facade was up. Hiroshi had the intelligence to figure out things like this in a blink of an eye, and there wasn't any point in dawdling over Shuichi's disappearance anymore. "He went out in the evening and never told me where he planned to go."

"Why wouldn't he tell you where he went? That's not like him. Unless he-" Hiroshi briefly fell silent and Eiri understood that he knew that the fairy tale land of happiness between his friend and himself was not quite happy. The silence also meant Hiroshi was considering what next to do. Stay silent or tell his managers, which the news would travel up the ranks to...Tohma.

Eiri recoiled slightly. For some reason, upsetting Tohma didn't seem like something he wanted to do. The image of Shuichi's perky face popped into mind and Eiri rolled his eyes up to the ceiling. All right, so he cared about the silly idiot too and the trouble that would follow for him if Tohma found out about his disappearance. "Hiroshi, I'd appreciate it if you don't mention this to your managers yet." Eiri's tone turned gruff.

"Ah, so you want to help find Shu? Understandable." Hiroshi sounded positively _gleeful_ that the indomitable Eiri would willingly search for his significant other.

Damn that fool, if anything happened to him... Eiri sliced off that train of thought and focused back to the phone. "Will you keep quiet until we find out more? We don't to upset anyone if we don't need to."

Now Hiroshi's glee began climbing down a couple notches. "I'd need a good excuse, but I could only do it for another day. Maybe two, but that's unlikely." Sheepishly, he added, "You know how violent that K can get when he's hunting. I believe he's switched over from his semi-automatic to a sniper rifle. More accuracy, he says. You'd need to be careful."

Eiri nodded, though the man on the other end couldn't see it. "Give me your number and I'll call if I have any news. You will do the same and keep me updated?"

"Of course." The teen recited his cell number and Eiri suggested, "Actually, you would stand a better chance at asking around since you do know more people who know Shuichi. I can stop by a couple places and see if he's there."

"Sounds good. Thanks for searching for Shuichi. I know he's a dolt at times, but everyone cares about him. Um..." There was an awkward silence.

Eiri grew impatient. "What?"

The sound of scuffling met his ears as the mouthpiece of Hiroshi's phone was covered. Eiri couldn't make out anything and just as he planned to rudely hang up, the guitarist came back on. "Sorry about that, Yuki-san. I have a guest over."

Like he cared. "If this is all, I'll go."

When the muffled noise happened a second time, Eiri dropped his receiver on its cradle.

He did not hear the hopeful voice speak on the other end.

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A/N: Worries are sprouting up everywhere. Where on Earth _is_ that pink-haired boy? Please leave a review!


	3. Always working

Chapter 3

"Na no na no na no- Heeey, Nakano-san!"

Before Hiro could turn around, something soft hit the back of his head. He noticed Sakuma-san's stuffed bunny Kumaguro on the ground and a forlorn Sakuma-san some feet away. He picked up the toy and tossed it back to Ryuichi, apologizing for not paying attention. Normally Hiro would be overjoyed at talking with his idol from NG, but chatting didn't have the same excitement without Shuichi. The next morning had already come and he received no news from Yuki. And now that Hiro had to keep Shuichi's disappearance a secret, he felt a bit antsy. He had no idea how long he'd need to keep up the image of the oblivious friend, and if the singer was gone for even another day, things would get ugly. Lead guitarist or best friend, Hiro wasn't that skilled at elaborate schemes. Then there was Ayaka. There were only two more days before she returned home and he didn't want to miss his chance to be with her after such a long wait.

Ryuichi, whose energetic expression was permanently glued to his face, peered at Hiro with his hypnotic blue eyes. "Nakano-saaan, are you ok? You don't act like yourself today."

"I'm ah, just tired. Nothing to be concerned about." Hiro half lied.

While Ryuichi nodded in understanding, Kumagoro's ears were wiggling and its head swiveled from side to side. Then it leaned over to his ear and something was said, because he looked around too. "Hmm, I don't see Shuichi either, Kumagoro. Where is he today?"

Hiro hadn't thought that far ahead yet. "Maybe he's running late. You know how lazy he can be."

The idol singer made a noise of agreement. "I know. It's so hard to get up in the mornings. Kumagoro here bothers me so much. Pushing me out of bed, making me eat breakfast at the table and not in bed. I keep telling him it's convenient to eat and sleep there, but he doesn't listen. But I guess he does have a point when I accidentally dump my breakfast on the covers. Cleaning up takes so long."

"I gotta go. The boss has been pretty uptight because of our busy schedules lately and I'd rather not be late. Catch you later, Sakuma-san." Hiro's abrupt farewell ended with an exaggerated salute to the floppy-eared bunny.

He turned the knob of the meeting room door, only to jump when the muzzle of a revolver leveled at his nose. If anyone in the band had the least exposure staring down the barrel of a gun, Hiro would be that member. Complaints during practices were almost non-existent and he tried to direct his bursts of adrenaline to rockin' on a guitar instead of wailing rivers like Shuichi did whenever things didn't agree. Fujisaki acted similar to the guitarist, though he tended to argue with K more. That naturally resulted in more shooting threats, but a shot never got fired at him. Shu tended to be the common target out of all three of them.

"K-san, it's only Nakano," Fujisaki coaxed to their manager, probably thinking that the man's finger would slip. Hiro was surprised; their producer Sakano always seemed to be the one who tried to placate the big guy, but he wasn't around.

K lowered the gun a slow three inches. He greeted in a suspiciously unruffled voice, "Good morning Hiroshi. You are on time. Excellent. Unfortunately, the time is nearing the hour and our last band member will not be so lucky. Where is Shuichi?"

A gulp rushed down Hiro's throat. "He's sick."

"Sick?" The manager's blond ponytail shifted as he tilted his head to the side. "With what?"

Man, think fast. "A fever. He can't get out of bed today, it's so bad. Shuichi couldn't call in to NG because he couldn't move."

Again the revolver aimed at his forehead. "If he's so sick and can't talk, then how did you talk to him?"

Hiro caught his mistake and managed to reply in an equally calm tone, "I called Yuki-san. Shuichi didn't answer his cell phone when I called this morning. I wanted to meet up with him so we could go to the studio together. I was informed that our singer isn't going to make it today. Maybe even tomorrow," Hiro tossed in at his next breath.

Squinting for a couple long seconds, K gradually grinned and holstered his firearm. "All right. No problem. We must remain diligent during this push to release Bad Luck's newest album, despite Shindou not being present. This means it's just the two of you, boys. And you know what happens when someone in the band is absent."

Fujisaki and Hiro let out a loud groan and simultaneously shouted, "Overtime today! Shuichi, we're going to kill you!"

---------------------------

_Shuichi, I'm going to kill you! _Eiri's mental threat didn't help as he typed out a paragraph that had something to do with peanut butter and a rather large machete. Forgoing sleep for a second night, his writing was beginning to sound stranger by the sentence. But that was part of the Eiri Yuki charm with the female readers, wasn't it? They loved anything he wrote and if peanut butter was meant to be thought-provoking and deep, he wouldn't argue. Eiri didn't realize his angry thought had transferred itself to the outside world until the words appeared on the screen. He had been trying to distract his mind by continuing his story, but his hasty promise about finding Shindou to that Hiro guy made an attempt at distraction a short one. If the band mate held up his end of the bargain by lying to his manager, Eiri knew he had to follow through on his part and do some heavy fishing today.

Concentrating on the novel right now was a joke. The short-haired blond saved his work and decided to go out. He made himself look more presentable and sailed out the front door in minutes. The air felt a little too warm for his taste, but the occasional breeze helped. He strolled in the direction of the park, thinking that the view would be a lot better than crappy traffic. The loud mix of engines and the occasional stereo system tuned to an infernal beat of rock didn't help the tapping beat of a small headache that brewed behind his forehead. That was probably due to the cigarettes. He couldn't remember the exact number he went through in the past couple days, so it was logical to assume that he smoked through way too many.

Eiri wandered aimlessly for a couple minutes in the park and he soon came across a refreshment stand filled with busy customers who wanted the same thing he did: a cold drink. Only non-alcoholic. He ignored the ogling stares of a group of three young girls in school uniforms when he passed by them. Whether they knew of his popularity in the writing world or if they just considered him to be a good-looking foreigner, either way, he was grateful when none them heckled him for autographs or conversation.

At the shaded counter, he paid for a hand-chilling can of iced tea and headed to the walking paths where blessed shade from trees beckoned. Before he could open his drink, it fell out of his hands when a strong set of arms looped hard around his neck. The assailant's grip had some strength in it, and he knew he was dealing with a man. Not able to do much else, Eiri's head connected hard with the attacker's face. Immediately, the arms let go and Eiri spun around to take out the bastard with a left hook. The man clutched his face and yelled, "Ow, ow, ow, ow! What sort of greeting is that!"

Air flooded back into Eiri's lungs and when he saw whose head he had hit. His expression was not a delightful one when his fist lowered. He might have oddly laughed if he was in a better mood. Fury, embarrassment and a strange disappointment shot through his body. "What in God's name are you doing?" he growled.

The other man finished checking that his face still remained intact and nothing was broken. He removed his hands and groaned. "Not the right thing to lighten you up, obviously, EIRI YUKI."

"Be quiet you. Don't call me that in public. That's my alias, remember?" Eiri hissed.

The apology that came next was not at all apologetic, and the accompanying low bow looked absurd. "Oh, I'm sorry Uesugi-san, I forgot the ladies chase after you because of those romance books you write. How forgetful of me. Forgive me, forgive me."

"Tatsuha, you will never understand how tough it can be." The guy the grouchy blond nearly decked was his younger brother. He dropped by from Kyoto a few times a year whenever he could get away from their strict father and his ostentatious rules. Tatsuha trained to be a monk and was expected to take over as head of the Uesugi family later on in life. Eiri wanted nothing to do with priest life or restrictions that came with the responsibility, so naturally his younger brother was next in line to inherit the role. Eiri idly wondered what their father would say if dear Tatsuha returned home with a broken nose, courtesy of Eiri Uesugi? The notion amused him.

Tatsuha smoothed his ebony bangs back into place. "Being wanted by hoards of women is something you enjoy, admit it, bro."

The novelist began to glare. "What do you want? Are you here just to test my patience? You won't get positive results today."

It was a joke, it was a threat; whichever way Tatsuha interpreted his question, the answer was calm. "No need to bite my head off, big bro. I'm just as surprised to see you here."

No response came from Eiri. He wished he could light a cigarette to show that he didn't give a crap, but he'd have to settle for his can of iced tea instead. He picked it up and tore it open. The sweet liquid went down forgivingly quick. His tiny headache had now grown and all because of his idiotic brother's dumb stunt. His forehead throbbed with painful intensity, and Eiri winced a bit before he could hide it. Tatsuha noticed this and apologized sincerely, "Uh...sorry about earlier. I didn't know you would freak out that way. We could sit somewhere if you want."

Eiri's shoulders moved, but his feet didn't. "How did you get here?"

"Mika helped out dad in the temple. When she was there I managed to get her to convince him to let me have a free day. She brought me here and we hung out. I have some time to myself before I head back to her place. I'll be going home tomorrow."

"Clever as always, isn't she?" Eiri grumbled this more to himself and he took some final swigs of his drink. His older sister always had some crafty ideas brewing in her head and it usually had something to do with convincing him to return home for a visit. Considering Mika was Tohma's wife, Eiri wasn't surprised. Both of them were conniving people. Both of them tried really, really hard to get what they chased after. No wonder they got married.

Tatsuha looked around briefly, then said,. "Where's your lapdog?"

He was left with an open mouth when Eiri strode away. An empty can joined relatives as Eiri tossed it into a recycling bin. His raven-haired sibling caught up annoyingly fast and commented slyly, "I'm kidding! You two didn't break up, did you?"

"Why do you think that?"

"You look worried about something."

"I do not."

A loud laugh came. "You can't know how your face looks. Besides, I saw you buying your drink and you didn't look like yourself."

Shuichi had been taking up residence in his thoughts, but the tired author didn't figure that his worrying seemed so frank on the outside. He eyed his brother. "Since when did you care so much about my welfare?"

"Mika reminds me how you're important to the family. She doesn't spend much time with you 'cause she knows you're busy with everything. I know she cares about you." Shyness made Tatsuha glance elsewhere. "Um, that goes the same for me too."

Eiri regarded him in surprise. It had been a long time since he heard anyone in his family speak so candidly. He found it hard to do himself, but with Shuichi in his life, he revealed more than he ever did before. Sometimes he felt embarrassed to say what he really felt, but Shuichi always squealed whenever he said something caring and honest. A pang of longing went through him at the thought of Shuichi. He hoped the psycho would return soon. Eiri rubbed an affectionate hand over Tatsuha's spiky locks. "Look, I should go. There's something important for me to do."

"About Shuichi-kun, right?" Tatsuha winked an indigo-colored eye.

Eiri didn't answer, but when the corner of his mouth twitched up, his younger brother grinned.

-----------

A/N: Chapter 3 is done! Sorry for the wait. Please leave a review!


	4. It's irresistible

Chapter 4

The prospect of food sounded mighty appealing to Eiri after his brother left, so he decided to try out the Zenny's restaurant that Shuichi mentioned on occasion. The singer wanted to date there because they hadn't before, but Eiri always declined. Fast food restaurants disgusted him, he remembered saying, but Shuichi responded with much lung that the place wasn't a fast food joint but a respected establishment for the hungry. Eiri never believed it. Of course now that he was next to starving, his appetite was taking charge of moving his body. He would risk eating lousy take-out food if it meant his stomach would stop that awful rumbling. Maybe his forehead would thump less too if he got some food into his system. About halfway to Zenny's, his cell phone rang. His stomach dipped when he realized it could be Shuichi. "Hello?" he answered quickly.

"Hello. Eiri-san, is that you?"

Shuichi did not have a female voice. Eiri's mild disappointment faded into curiosity. This female he hadn't heard from in some time. "Ayaka? Why are you calling me from Kyoto?"

"I am in Tokyo, actually. I'm visiting someone."

"How did you find out my number?"

"It doesn't matter."

It mattered to him. He felt irked that she considered otherwise. She might have been his ex-fiancée, but she was still the same. Ayaka barreled on, "Are you busy? I'd like to talk with you and I'm free at the moment. It's important."

_Making demands like before_, Eiri thought with amusement. _Why am I not surprised?_ He didn't exactly feel like meeting with her, but the fact that she called him by getting his number must have meant what she told him was true. He knew from her previous visit from Kyoto how stubborn she could be. Plus he'd never focus on finding Shuichi if she kept ringing him up all day. "I'm on my way to eat at Zenny's. You can stop by there. Do you know where that is?"

"Yes, that's fine. I'll be there in about 15 minutes."

Upon arrival, the hungry author gave the restaurant two glances around before he concluded that it wasn't as shabby a spot as he initially made it out to be. The chilly air-conditioning merited big points. Perhaps the place could be date worthy like Shuichi insisted. A sharp feeling lodged in his throat at the thought and he coughed hard to rid it. His headache had blessedly faded to "minimal writer's hangover" proportions. Those were the headaches that nagged enough to not become a hassle, but they usually resulted in him writing great chapters for his novels. He never understood how headaches did that sort of thing.

Eiri took a table and ordered. As he waited for his meal, he lit a cigarette. Soon, Ayaka walked by his window and entered through the front door. She spotted him at his booth and greeted as she sat across from him. Dressed pretty conventional like he remembered, she wore a short-sleeved top and a long skirt. She declined Eiri's offer of a meal. He said, "So how did you call me at such a perfect moment? Psychic? Or perhaps fate brought you to me?"

Ayaka's small mouth pursed. "Luck, I suppose."

The author acted disappointed. "Fate just isn't what is used to be. Unless you count the relationship between that loon Shuichi and me. God only knows how that ever happened in the first place . I hate to say it, but just this once...it could be fate." He nodded when his meal arrived. He hadn't tried any American food lately, so the plate full of spaghetti made his stomach growl when it was set in front of him. Ayaka's eyes flitted to the slab of chocolate cake he ordered as dessert, but her gaze remained glued on him. Silence and the rise of dusty smoke from his ashtray consisted of their conversation when she didn't speak. Eiri had no intention of talking unless he knew what her reason was for joining him. The clink of his metal fork as he ate was the only noise between the two.

"Is that really fate?" Ayaka said abruptly.

Eyebrows raised, his fork in his mouth. She took his comment seriously?

She went on, "How can your relationship be based on fate? That's ridiculous."

The fork came out. His eyebrows dropped slightly at the quick touch of hostility. "Fate is fate. There's no rules it has to follow. Events happens and circumstances brought that fool Shuichi to me. I can't think of a better word than fate at the moment."

"Fate chose me." Ayaka's voice grew solemn and hushed. "I was to be with you, Eiri. Then...then that singer came along."

Eiri's pensive expression watched her while he considered his next words. He felt a big rush of annoyance, but he couldn't tell where it stemmed from and why it was directed at her. "Are you jealous of Shuichi? It really isn't going to do you any good." A tiny sadistic pleasure pulsed at the idea of causing jealousy to someone, but the feeling died off too fast before he could hitchhike for the ride.

"I know that jealousy is pointless. I did give up on the engagement and I agreed to your terms. But..."

"You haven't gotten over it as fast as you wanted?" White smoke from his cigarette curled in the air.

"I want to be with you." Red immediately burned her cheeks, but her sapphire gaze remained steady.

Her forwardness impressed Eiri. Her familiar statement had been uttered many times in his life by women who cared only about getting a hold on the enigmatic novelist just because he refused to be obtained like a piece of jewelry at the store. Ayaka's words meant more than a passing one night stand, Eiri could tell. "What do you mean?"

Ayaka spoke slowly. "I wasn't sure before, but I thought about this and I know now for certain. I'd like...I'd like you in my life. Not as a couple, naturally. Just...in my life."

Eiri said nothing. Bright sunlight from outside the window warmed his hand which rested beside his plate. His attention focused on the white glow briefly. "That may not be easy. I have a busy life. I know you do too."

"That doesn't mean I can't try." The gleam of passion in her eyes dulled and she stared at a spot on the table. The sun on his hand continued to heat pleasantly despite the thin veil of smoke that rose from the ashtray. Shuichi's touch felt like this sometimes; a burning sensation that was intense. Yet Eiri never grew tired of it. While he watched Ayaka, empathy crept along his spine and up to his chest. At sixteen, he had wanted to be in Kitazawa's life and despite all the attention and kindness he gave his tutor, Eiri received the opposite. Coldness, indifference to his feelings. He hated Kitazawa for making him so gullible, hated himself for being so needy. Seeing Ayaka falling into the familiar pattern of reliance as he did many years ago was not an uplifting reminder. "We can remain friends. If you wish to visit me, as long as I'm not busy I'm fine with it. That is good enough, isn't it?" Eiri said this in a more light voice than he felt.

She nodded a little. "I think so."

Eiri's sun-bleached fingers opened and closed as though catching the warmth. The lingering cloud from his cigarette was not remotely thick enough to block out the strong rays. This oddly comforted him. A question came to mind and although he knew the answer, he wanted to see her reaction. "Are you seeing anyone, Ayaka?"

Ayaka's head jerked up a bit, but she didn't look up. "Yes. Hiro Nakano."

Somehow, knowing that Hiro guy was still Ayaka's girlfriend made Eiri crack a smile. "Are you the guest he has staying over?"

Ayaka blushed in response, but she still kept her head lowered. Eiri leaned forward and his handful of sun tipped her chin up. "You don't need to have me in your life as much as you think. You do have someone who is more important. Focus on him, not me. He'll appreciate it."

Ayaka smiled slightly, but she didn't brighten up as much as he anticipated. In a spurt of inspiration he considered to be a gentleman's act, he pushed his plate of cake and a fork in her direction. One thing he knew about women with absolutely clarity was that they couldn't resist chocolate. Even if they did, they would ultimately give in. He had seen it plenty of times. Chocolate made a charming tool when it came to persuading uncooperative women in the past, in or out of the bedroom. Ayaka's mouth opened to object, but the blond's mane of short hair shook. "I saw you eying it earlier. Don't argue... Ayaka-chan."

Ayaka picked up her fork and smiled confidently. "Looks like Hiroshi will need convincing that you're a nice person. Thank you for everything, Eiri."

Eiri felt a pang of nostalgia. Shuichi had said the same to him once, that Hiro needed persuasion to believe that the cold Eiri was indeed someone with a beating heart. Sometimes the writer didn't believe that having a live heart was possible, but as he sat in a seat inside a shabby restaurant which he never considered stepping foot in before, he thought about his lover and knew at least half a heart existed.

-

A/N: Hmm, maybe a slab of cake will lure back Shuichi to Yuki. He _is _a food glutton after all! The final chapter is ahead...


	5. The right words

Chapter 5

It was day two and Shuichi still hadn't shown up. Two days wasn't a long time, Eiri knew, but he didn't realize how long they felt when Shuichi wasn't around. He stopped by a couple spots Shuichi loved to drag him to, but no success. Hiro called once, telling him that nobody saw Shuichi yet. He told Eiri he would contact him later after he looked around. This happened hours ago and now night bleached the sky with indigo.

A faint noise buzzed and Eiri stopped typing and tilted his head in puzzlement, trying to place what made the sound. By the time the noise rung again, he already identified that the front door's intercom was the source and he was rising from his rolling chair. He sighed at the interruption in his writing. Hiroshi dropping by, no doubt, but it wasn't a huge deal. He did tell Eiri that they would talk later, but the blond assumed he meant by phone. Ah well, whatever worked. He pressed the speaker's call button. "Hello?"

"Yuki?" a timid greeting called out.

Time froze, crystal shards of fragmented words filled with fear, hope, and anger echoed inside his mind. Among those syllables, his own name appeared and he wondered why. Then Eiri realized the speaker had repeated his name. He found his voice and responded coolly, "Shuichi?"

The memorable high squeal of Shuichi's voice sounded like a low drone. "Yes, it's me. Can I... can I come up?"

A frown creased Eiri's eyebrows. The moron had a key, so why didn't he use it? "Sure." He pressed the intercom button off and hit another one which unlocked the main door in the lobby.

The wait of a minute dragged on forever, and the writer's brain tried to think of appropriate words to say while he wrung his hands. _I'm relieved, I'm frustrated, I'm happy, I'm nervous, I'm furious beyond words... what am I? _

A reluctant knock tapped on the boring gray door with its cold reverberation. His stare rested on the handle, then his hand turned it, the door easing open to reveal a face that drew so many emotions out. Gazes lingered at different spots, each man taking in the appearance of the other. A ruffle in a shirt sleeve, messy bangs swept aside.

"Are you all right?" Eiri finally queried. His self-control to knock Shuichi out with a punch or knock him over with a hug made his fingers tingle.

Shuichi nodded quickly, his reply muted. "I'm ok."

"You didn't call. Didn't let me know where you went."

"I know."

"You called me from outside. You lost your house key?"

Rosy hair shook from side to side. "I wanted to be invited. You were mad at me and all."

Eiri stepped aside. Shuichi slowly walked inside, taking in the surroundings. The door clicked shut behind him and when he eventually turned around, he was smiling. Eiri's emotions burst from the dam of restraint. "Where did you go? Why the hell did you run off?"

Silence, then the facial ink of delight bled into confusion. In a stutter, Shuichi said, "W-w-well, I needed some time to myself. I-I went home. I talked to Maiko."

The impact of his confession splashed cold water on Eiri's reality. Lately, home to Shuichi was always his apartment, and hearing Shuichi say that home was elsewhere shocked him. He snapped, "Why did you talk to your sister?"

"You were annoying! Did you hear yourself?"

"Don't turn this on me! We're talking about you."

Shuichi's defiant hand pointed at Eiri's face. "You were being mean and I needed advice. She has a boyfriend so I figured she could help me out."

"Advice on what? How did she help you?"

"It's private."

Eiri waved a dismissive hand. "Fine. I don't care about it."

Shuichi paused to think of what to say next. Eiri simply waited. The pink-haired devil sounded like an entirely different person when he asked in an incongruously calm voice, "Don't you still care for me? I know some part of you must if you let me in through the front door."

"I don't have to tell you." Yuki's face burned as he walked briskly to the living room table for his smokes. He silently cursed when they weren't there. He must have left them in the study.

Shuichi had not followed the disgruntled writer and he smiled oddly when Eiri made his way back. "Isn't it true? You would have left me outside all night if you didn't let me in. I could have caught a cold or maybe worse. Then I might have wandered the streets, thinking you were in those crowds. You let me inside the house so none of that stuff happened. You are nice."

Yuki burned even hotter as he glared at the person standing before him who acted strangely... logical. Shuichi didn't beat the floor or slam against his head against the walls in some attempt to figure out the situation. This new attitude creeped Eiri out for possibly the first time in their relationship. The real Shuichi would protest, yell, or act generally disagreeable in some way. Now he was a quiet peacemaker? What had just happened? In a swift move that must have been subconscious, one of Eiri's hands had its fingers wrapped firmly around the singer's delicate throat. "Don't. Talk."

Surprised by his movement, Shuichi kept smiling in that enigmatic way. "I am so right. And you know it. Uh, except maybe now."

Eiri jolted a bit when he realized that what he was doing was not the definition of nice. He let go of him.

"Don't...you want to say something to me?" A wounded tone ended Shuichi's question. He sounded more like himself now.

A million answers entered Eiri's thoughts, but he could only stare at the person who, as hard as it was to admit, meant more to him than the monster would ever know. Under his harsh glare, his lover's face faltered and Shuichi said quietly, "I missed you."

Eiri turned his back as jumble of feelings swirled around inside him like pale cream in coffee. He was at a loss to the right words to utter. He wasn't very good with being sentimental. His bare feet pattered across the short distance to the balcony's clear sliding doors, where he rested his hand on the door's cool glass. His focus settled on the small dots of brake and headlights from the occasional cars that passed by, then to the neighborhood. Staring out into the night-blackened buildings seemed like all he was doing lately.

Soon, or maybe much later, the weight of Shuichi's forehead rested against his back, a small hand taking solace from his shirt-tail. Barely a whisper, Shuichi prodded, "Didn't you miss me?"

Behind him in the dim reflection of the glass, Eiri made out a hopeful face that was struggling to keep the expression neutral. _Hmph, I'm a romance novelist and I can't even say the words. What is right?_ Shuichi's face ticked Eiri off, and made him float gaily above the sea of brooding, and exasperated him, and worried him, and yet-

Lips crushed together, Eiri's tongue begging madly for his lover's. Some sort of protest got lost from the startled teen when Eiri's large hands were seizing his neck, drinking in a kiss like a desert wanderer longing for nourishment. A gasp leaked from Shuichi when they sank to their knees on the hardwood floor, but Eiri's lips possessed his again before speech could be coherent. There was an even louder gasp when they broke apart. Shuichi rubbed his backside after he landed roughly on it. His ragged breathing pleased Eiri. The blond smirked.

Shuichi's arms flailed, complementing the high pitch his voice took on. "Are you trying to suffocate me? That's not a very nice thing to do! Or are you telling me something?"

"Shouldn't it be obvious?" the kisser teased, glad not to have to say perfect words after all.

"I want to hear it from you."

"Figure it out yourself."

"Yukiiiiii! Pleasepleaseplease!" Shuichi was being stubborn now and he clung to Eiri's arm.

Eiri sighed heavily and carelessly tossed out, "You entered my thoughts periodically."

"You don't mean that!" Shuichi cried out.

"Hey, I did what you asked."

"Pleaaaaaase! I want to hear the truuuuuth! I want to hear it better!" The pink-haired ball of emotions had his eyes scrunched up and he looked pathetic enough to take pity on. Eiri suddenly felt euphoric when his gaze caressed Shuichi's face. The teenager turned remarkably quiet and very still. Eiri stirred at Shuichi's anticipation. He murmured slowly, "You were in my thoughts the whole time."

Pink circles appeared on Shuichi's cheeks. "You were in mine too. I didn't mean to make you worry. I was mad. Well, you'd know that best." He giggled in a pitch that Eiri couldn't normally stand, but the writer didn't mind today. A crestfallen expression filled Shuichi's face right then.. "I'm going to be in so much trouble when I go to rehearse tomorrow. Bad Luck is extra busy lately, but I really wanted a break."

"You won't be in any trouble."

"Huh?"

Eiri glanced away. "I asked Hiro to help you out with your manager so you wouldn't get into trouble. You were sick."

"Yuki!" The crazy teen bowled him over with a crushing hug and Eiri's vision tilted toward the ceiling. The added bulk of Shuichi's frame made him grunt, but the happy spaz never noticed. Shuichi just shouted, "Thanks so much! You're really, really, really kind!"

Warmth that showed in the faintest chuckle made Eiri say, "Hey, there's no need to tarnish my reputation."

Shiny amethyst eyes stared deep into Eiri's own and his insides fluttered once more. Shuichi smiled. "Too bad for you." His face didn't even smile fully before it fell yet again and he gasped at another revelation. "Your writing! Did you get sidetracked because of me? I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't even think about your deadline! Then there's the..." A watery look began to fill his eyes.

Before ear-splitting wailing erupted, Eiri quickly placed a hand over Shuichi's mouth. He could only take so much of Shuichi's emotional changes in the same minute. "I'll make the deadline. I'll make it. There's no need for you to cry. Okay?"

Shuichi slowly nodded in understanding. Eiri felt relief and moved his hand away. The yearning for silence was short-lived. Shuichi cried anyway, but he smiled when he did it.

-

"So, how did your walk turn out?" Hiro and Ayaka lounged around on the floor in the tiny living room of his place. Hiro couldn't believe she had to leave already. Most of his time had been spent trying not to blow his stack like Sakano would whenever Shuichi went missing. For a brief moment, Hiro absolutely despised how Shuichi had ruined what he would have considered to be the best weekend in a long time, simply because Ayaka visited for more than an afternoon. Then he shrugged it off, feeling fine. Things happened. Shuichi came back home in one piece and he felt glad to spend any amount of time with Ayaka, even if it was pretty short. Ayaka had went for a walk by herself yesterday and when she returned, her face had a peaceful smile that he never quite saw before. Hiro didn't know what happened, so of course he tried to find out now. He had a pretty good idea what made her so happy, though.

Ayaka took a sip from a can of fizzy orange soda, her face appearing calm as usual. "It went well. I saw Tatsuha along the way. I hadn't seen him for weeks so it was nice to talk to him."

Hiro, who lay on his stomach beside her, propped up on his elbows. "So where did you see him?"

"He was near Eiri's place when I-" Ayaka stopped, looking caught.

He waved a hand for her to continue. "It's fine. I'm getting past this Eiri thing, really. It's nothing for me to worry about."

She paused a while longer, but she did speak again. "Well, I wanted to take your advice and tell Eiri how I felt. So I thought about going to his place, but then Tatsuha came and I got sidetracked. I did talk to Eiri afterwards. He was... kind." Ayaka's gaze drifted from him and she smiled a private smile. Hiro felt a pull inside him, but she looked at his face and explained, "He gave me his dessert. The whole thing. Chocolate cake. It tasted great."

Hiro laughed, mainly at himself. "You like chocolate cake, huh? I'll keep that in mind for future dates."

Ayaka's grin widened. "Well, the cake did help, but he spoke to me so openly. I mean, as open as I've heard him. He reminded me of you." A shy look crossed her face. "You're honest with me with your feelings and I appreciate it so much. Thank you for sticking with me even though we can't see each other too often." Before Hiro could say anything, Ayaka leaned over and pecked him on the cheek. She blushed madly.

Hiro felt like his face was going to crack from smiling so wide. Ayaka could surprise him in such unexpected ways.

THE END

A/N: Well, that's it! The end of my story. sniff I thank those readers who have been patient for my updates and for newcomers who liked my story enough to leave a review.


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